Structural Characterization of an Artefact and Simultaneous Quantification of Two Monoterpenes and Their Artefacts of Isolation in White‐Peony Root

Sodium benzoylpaeoniflorinsulfonate (3), a new artefact, was isolated from sulfur‐fumigated white‐peony root and characterized by mass and NMR spectroscopy. A HPLC method was developed for the simultaneous determination of sodium paeoniflorinsulfonate (1), paeoniflorin (2), sodium benzoylpaeoniflorinsulfonate (3), and benzoylpaeoniflorin (4). The method developed was successfully applied to quantify the four compounds in 14 white‐peony‐root samples. The quantity of four constituents in sulfur‐fumigated white‐peony root may be regarded as an index for the quality assessment of this Chinese medicine.